The Mexican Revolution of 1910, an event that lasted almost a decade, can be best described as a war for freedom and justice, with over 900,000 casualties. The people yearned for a better government in an effort to rid themselves of a dictatorship under Porfirio Diaz, and fought for the ejection of the system known as la encomienda, which was a system used under Spanish colonial rule where landowners offered protection or education in exchange for free labor.
Diaz had been in office for over 34 years and people grew worrisome of his actions placed upon the communities of Mexico through multiple violations of the Mexican constitution, established in 1817. In the northern part of the country, activist Francisco Madero drafted the Plan de San Luis Potosi, which called for action from the Mexican population in order to return to the guidance of the Constitution of 1817 and the institution of a democratic republic that actually attended to the people’s interest. With this piece of writing, he was able to get people to join the cause. Leaders Pascual Orozco and Francisco “Pancho” Villa led them to victories for the common people against the landowners and incited people to change government.
Looking towards the southern part, Emiliano Zapata, yet another legendary figure from the revolution, focused on getting the landless peasant support to rid themselves from this encomienda system and getting them the justice they deserved for their labor. In the year 1911, Diaz decided to step down and the presidency was given to Francisco Madero. However, he was overthrown by Victoriano Huerta, his chief military advisor, in 1913. Due the increasing unpopularity of Huerta, Venustiano Carranza advised him to resign and then assumed power himself. During Carranza’s presidency, he drew up a new constitution known as the Constitution of 1917.
This constitution was adopted and included aspects such as a separation of church and state, proprietary rights of community groups over the lands of their community, country wide sovereignty over the subsoil, the right for workers to organize and go on strike by expression, and other provisions. Even with Carranza in power, commotion still rang through the streets of Mexico by followers of Pancho Villa and Emilio Zapata. In 1920, after many attempts to have an ideal commander to lead the country, general Alvaro Obregon took power and Mexico began to rebuild.
Elvia Carrillo Puerto’s Actions During the Revolution
Elvia Carrillo Puerto’s brother, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, fought alongside Emilio Zapata in 1913 but was met with his arrest when he returned to his home town in Yucatan for his support of Zapata. Elvia and her brother Felipe later became propagandists and called for benefits for the people of Mexico. In 1912, during the midst of the Mexican Revolution, Elvia was able to establish an organization that dealt with resistance leagues for women. This organization, while it helped the fight for the people, especially landless peasants, was undermined, given that they were women and at this time men received all of the praise. Throughout the decade leading into the 1920’s, Puerto dedicated those years to the advocacy of birth control and pointing out the negligence that communities had on illiteracy. Other issues including economic maintenance, hygiene, child care, amongst other topics, were spoken about in her league Liga Rita Cetina Gutierrez, established in 1919.
Underappreciated Leader: Elvia Carrillo Puerto 